Perspiration dried, and the
landscape took on a sombre black velvet hue, with a liberal
sprinkling of gold stars. I sank into a stupor going home,
and an old farmer aroused me, and disentangled my horse from a
thicket of wild briers into which it had strayed. He said most
emphatically that if I did not know enough to remain indoors
weather like that, my friends should appoint me a `guardeen.'
I reached the village more worn in body and spirit than I ever had
been. I felt that I could not endure another degree of heat on the
back of my head, and I was much discouraged concerning my work.
Why not drop it all, and go where there were cool forests and
breezes sighing? Perhaps my studies were not half so good as I
thought! Perhaps people would not care for them! For that matter,
perhaps the editors and publishers never would give the public an
opportunity to see my work at all!
I dragged a heavy load up the steps and swung it to the veranda,
and there stood almost paralysed. On the top step, where I could
not reach the Cabin door without seeing it, newly emerged, and
slowly exercising a pair of big wings, with every gaudy marking
fresh with new life, was the finest Cecropia I ever had seen
anywhere.
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